Martin O'Neill has said he cannot understand why Manchester City have been allowed to sign a goalkeeper on emergency loan as cover for the injured Shay Given.

Aston Villa's manager takes his team to Eastlands on Saturday for a pivotal game in the battle for fourth place and harbouring a sense of indignation at the manner in which the Premier League has allowed City to bring in Marton Fulop.

O'Neill is bemused that Sunderland's third-choice goalkeeper has been given permission to join a club who already have nine goalkeepers.

Tottenham, Liverpool or Villa could still prevent Roberto Mancini from delivering the Champions League place that was his minimum requirement upon replacing Mark Hughes at City in the winter, and all had all remained silent on the issue until today.

Even though City were prevented from recalling their reserve goalkeeper Joe Hart from Birmingham City, under the terms of his 12-month loan, O'Neill feels that the rest of the teams chasing them for the final Champions League qualifying round place have been disadvantaged. "I can't do anything about it. Do I understand it? No. I can't do anything about it. The Premier League has made the decision and they have acquired him."

Villa's three wins in eight days have generated a confidence going into the game which would have been further enhanced by the prospect of facing Gunnar Nielsen, City's inexperienced Faroe Islands international, instead of Fulop, who has won 20 caps for Hungary. "It would be hard to imagine Fulop as being described as a third-choice goalkeeper," O'Neil added. "They have a goalkeeper who is an international. The decision has been made and if I were to comment on it any further the words grapes and sour could come into it."